Handling system for leaf tobacco



April 17, 1956 w. w. MICHAUX, JR

HANDLING SYSTEM FOR LEAF TOBACCO -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 8, 1954vIN V EN TOR.

, WILLIAM W. MICHAUX,JR. 2 ,4 16

April 17, 1956 w. w. MICHAUX, JR r 2,742,163

HANDLING SYSTEM FOR LEAF TOBACCO Filed Oct. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR.

" WILLIAM W.MICHAUX,JR. I

YHA'NDLING SYSTEM FOR LEAF TOBACCO WilliamW. Mi chaux, Jr., Richmond,Va. Application October 8,f1954,SerialNo. 461,156

taciaims. crem -5.5

r This invention is concerned with the'handling of'tobacco leavesyandmore particularly relates to an improved tobacco stick, to means .forattaching tobacco leavesto the stick, and to an improved sy'stem'ofblending tobacco Unitd S t s Patent f so that the leaves can beplacedonthe belt and 'will then be carried without manual intervention into theloading 1 means and thence into the stick. This .arrang ement.contributesto hanging the tobacco quicker than "here-,

tofore, because the .persons who pla ce the tobacco on the belt merelylay iton the belt with the stems inqan approximatelycorrect position anddo not have to take timeito straddle't'he leaves approximately evenly onboth sides of a stick, as has beenfiecessaryheretofore. As

7 a result, less labor is required to load successive hands ventionshown, for purposesof illustration only, laccompanying drawings. In thedrawings:

leavesin conju'nctionwith such stick andloading'rneans.

A "conventional tobacco stick is simply a straight, solid wooden lath ofalengthisuitable forsupportingtobacco leaves during drying operations.When tobacco is harvested it isplaced on such'sticks for preliminarydrying. Sometimesthatis'accomplislredby pointing one end of the "stickand spearin'g jit through a .series of tobacco plants. Generally,however, a'string islooped 'around the stems'of small groupsof leavestohang them along diagonally'opposite sidesofthe stick, which not onlytakes time to do in the first placebut also requires more time'laterinremovingthe pieces of cut string from the tobacco after the preliminarydrying operation. After preliminary drying the tobaccois marketedand'later redried in the form of tied-up: bundles,*known as hands, onthe same kindof sticks. In or der to intermix'the tobacco leaves forpurposes of obtaining a uniform blend,"

ing tobacco leaves on sticksyandanew -form 'of tobacco stick adapted tobe loaded quickly by such power -rneans. The leader and stick are"suitable for use with separate leaves of tobacco and can also beadapted for us'e'with hands of tobacco. The stick isof generallyU-s'hape'd cross-section with a pair of inwardly turned flanges at theopen end of the U to grip thestems of the tobacco leaves, and withincreased thickness at the base of the U to-give the stick strengthagainst bending when it is supported at its opposite ends and also toholdthe flanges rigidly against the stems. The stick is preferably ofsolid, unitary form, with a uniform cross-section from end toend, and itis thusadapted to. be manufactured economically byextrusion of asuitable metalfsuch as aluminum. The loading apparatus hasguide'meansfor receiving thestick, and opposed loading means for receiving thestems of the tobacco leaves" and lpropelling them forcibly into theslotof the stick. End-wis"e-lpressure on the outer end of the-stickholds it in the machine and selectively controls the tightness anddensity of packing of the stems in the stick. The ease and speed ofloading the stick is increased by means forautomatically starting themachines motor when the stick is initially thrust into themachine to acertain limit,and-by means forautomatically stopping the motor when thestick has become sufficiently loaded and as a result. has been pushedback by the loading means beyond another'limit. Thepart's of the machinewhich load Tthe stick are associated with *a moving belt "whichslipiidlts the 'Ie'afy of different kinds oftobaccoion'the'sticks. I, IQther advantages, objects and details of the invention will becomeapparent in thefollowingdetailed {description of the present preferred(embodiment 'of' themin the loading chains shown in Figure 2;.

Figures 5 and 6 aretop plan views of the upper and lower chains,respectively, .shown'in' Figure'4fji V Figure 7 is an enlarged detailedview, partially broken away, of the chainloading means shown in"'Fi"gurel, with associated switch mechanism; 1' Figure 8 is a side view,partially broken away, of the loading means shown in Figure 7, andalso'including the rear sprocketof the lower loading chain;

FigureSA is'a detailed view, partially broken away, of the receiving endof the tobacco stick shown'in Figure 8,'and the guide member abuttingthe receivingendof the stick; i V

Figure 9"shows an enlarged; partially broken away section-on the lineIX-"-IX-in'Figure l;

Figure l0's'hows an enlarged, partially broken-away section on the lineX-X in -Figuife8;

Figure 11 is a sideview of a tobacco stick-ernbodying the in'vention,after being loaded in the illustrated 'a'pparatus; and i e Figure 12' isan enlarged end "viewlof the loaded tobacco stick shown inFigure 1 1"(asseen from'either end). l

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is provided atobacco stick loading machine 10 having a fixed'table ll-atits'frontend. The upper reach of an endless conveyor belt '13 slidesover atable 14 toward the tablell, and passes'around a front driveroller 15-located next to the rear end of table 11. The

other end of belt IS-istrained around a rear idler roller 15. Alpairof'endless-loading chains 16 and 17-are mounted along one sideof belt13, the'upper'c'hain 16- being trained around a front drive -sprocket18, a rear idler sprocket 19 and a'raised intermediate sprocket 20; Thelower chain 17 is trained around afront drive sprocket21and rear idlersprocket 22,*and.preferably*exto its front drive roller 15. Tobaccoleaves laid across 7 the rear end of the belt13 with their stemsprojecting from "tlie'side of'the b'elt', such the "leaf 2sv shown inFigurel is a top planview offapparatus enibodying The lower reach ofchain 16 slides of the drive sprockets 18 and 21.

propel them into a tobacco stick 26.

The tobacco stick 26 is generally, U-shaped in crosssection,with-*achannel 27- extending uniformly along-its entire length. Thewidth and depth of the channel are sufficient toallow tobacco stems tobe moved into the interior of the stick and to be gripped securelybetween a pair of flanges 28 and' 29'which extend; toward each otheralong the mouth of thechannel 27. The, flange edges are square corneredalongtheinterior of the channel, in order to oppose forces tending topull the stems out of the channel transversely of'the stick, but havesmooth, straight surfaceslengthwise of the 'stick, in'order toallow'slidin'g movement of the stems in both directions lengthwise ofthe channel; v are loaded into the stick, the slot is preferably aboutwide, and the depth of the channel in the stick is about 1".

I The width of the channel'27 may be enlarged, preferably in the courseof manufacture but alternatively by spread ing apart a tobacco stickalready made, to receive tied When the stems of untied tobacco leavespulley 36 keyed on a main drive shaft 37, which is keyed to the drivesprocket 21-for driving chain 17; to the drive roller for driving belt13; and to a pinion 38 meshing with a pinion 39 keyed on a shaft keyedto drive sprocket 18 for driving chain 16. The belt drive roller 15,chain drive sprockets 18 and 21, and pinions 38 and 39 are all of thesame effective diameter, and consequently the opposed reaches of'thechains 16 and 17 move along at the same speed as each other and also atthe same speed as belt 13,'so that a tobacco leaf laid transverselyacross the belt 13 remains in substantially-the same position on thebelt 13 before and while its stem is seized between' the chains 16 and17. I

The person who thrusts the stick 26 into the machine stands next to thefront table 11 and in case of emergency can readily stop the motor 35 byoperating a master switch on a central control panel '41. For purposesof normal bundles of tobacco leaves, such as the usual hands of tobacco.

The stick 26 has a uniform cross-section from end to end, and is adaptedfor manufacture froma suitable material, such as aluminum, byconvenientforming means, such as extrusion through a die. The extrusion is cutinto pieces of whateverlengths are required by conventional driers, Thebase of the U is thickened in order to enable the stickto remain rigidagainst transverse bending, and also against spreading apart of theflanges 28 and 29. I have found that the tobacco stems, which alwaysareat'leastsomewhat moist when loaded on the stick, have sufficientnatural resilience to enable them to wedge securely into the channel 27,although thechannel itself is unyielding against the pressureof thestems. ing dried on the stick the stems tend to retain the indentationmade in them by the flanges 26 and 27, and consequently the dried stemsremain in the stick during ordinary handling, although they may be drawnendwise along the channel and out of either end of the stick withrelatively little effort. When made of extruded aluminum,,for example,the stickis lighter than a conventional wooden tobacco stick of the samelength, andhas the further advantage ofa much longer useful life becauseof its strength and resistance to deterioration and warping. V

The machine'10 includes a guide bar 3% of L-shaped cross-section, whichis mounted parallel to the chain guides 23 and 24 and serves to guidethe tobacco stick 26 into position to receive stems carried alongbetween the chains 16 and 17. The bar 30 projects forward of the drivesprockets 18 and 21 in order to facilitate guiding the entering end ofthe stick 26 when. it is initially thrust into the machine. An upperguide bar 31 overlies the portion of stick 26 extending along the'guidebar 30 to the rear The stick 26 is thrust most of itslength into themachine along bar 30, and when fully inserted the rear end of the stickprojects a short distance forward of bar 30to provide a grip for aperson holding the stick, while the forward end of the stick abuts acombination stop andfunnel member 32 mounted in the machine adjacent thesprocket 19. The member 32 is a piece. .of a stick like the stick 26(Figure 8A), withtit's' board33 andb'elt idler roller 15' to serve as anabutment for evenly aligning the ends of the stems when they are placedon belt 13. I 1 A mqtq 5 rives themachi After bene thropgh a belt driveto s1 operation the motor is automatically controlled by a startingswitch 42 and stopping switch 43, both operated by the'stick 2'6.Thestarting switch is located just forward of the rear sprocket 19, andhas an arm 44 pivotally mounted atone end on a shaft projecting from thecase of switch 40, and carrying at its. other end a feeler-roller 45which rides up on the entering end of the stick 26 when it is thrustinto the machine all the way up to abutting relation with the member 32When the roller 45 rides up on the stick 26 it swings the arm 44 againstthe action of a suitable biasing spring to complete an electric circuitand thereby starts the motor 35. The motor must continue to operate asthe-stick retracts from the machine, and the automatic switch circuitaccordingly has conventionalmea ns for continuing theoperation of themotor 1 power circuit after the entering endof the stick. 26 has locatedimmediately to the rear of the forward sprockets 18 and 21.Thiscocks-thegstopping switch 43, so that when the entering end of thestick 26 is later. withdrawn past feeler roller 46, the arm .47 swingsback ,to its original position and thereby opens the power circuit ofthe motor 35 and stops the motor, thus;completing its automatic.operating cycle. t 2

'Althcugh' the machine starts and stops automatically, the person whothrusts thestick 26 into the 'machine exercisesfull controlover theoperation. The'operators hand grips the rear :end of .the stick andthrusts the stick endwise into the machine up to stop member? 32. Theeffective spacing of the chains 16 and 17 is made less than the widthof; channel 27 between flanges 28,29, so that the stick readily receivesin its channel all the stems held between-the chains when the stick isinserted. The motor then starts and the chains commence moving the stemsalong channel 27 toward the operators hand, which closes around thechannel a few inches from the rear end of the so that'stems willcontinue to be compacted evenly in the increasing length of theprojecting portion of the" stick. Near the end of the retrac'tingmovementthe stick is held longeno ugh to cempaet'the last stems awayfrom the trailing' end of i the stick,- land then the :stick is entirelywith-V drawn. The stems are gt-huspacked inwardly ofiboth ends of thechannel ;27 3 to -;facilitate I hanging the loaded stickfor drying ,or;ot her-operations. Asthe loaded stick is withdrawn theleaveson thetstemspackedinjchannel 27 1 pass from the=belt 13 to table'lilandare-theresupported untilthe-stick is carried away afterbeingentirely withdrawn from ,the machine; In the illustratedembodiment-ofthe invention the chanml 27 ;o f the stick zdwasassumedto be in width,

and the effective gapibetwe'en the-Iopposed reaches of the ,chains 16and 20 was-.-assumed to ;b'e*% ",'whichdimensions are; preferred-forpurposesrof loading tobacco leaves whichare'nottied'inffhands.'=Insomecases it maybe desiredfto load thezsticks with =handsof-tobacco leavesvwhich: are to remairrtied inwseparate bundles while on the sticks. Inthateventthe-width ofithe channel-27 should be enlarged, and the. gapbetween the chainsi16' 311C117 should be correspondingly enlarged asafaras thestick is con-' cerned, this can .be done by widening the gap 27 ofexisting sticks, or bymaking some of thesticks' originally with a largerchannel =27. .In'either case:.it ,is;necessary' toumake acorresponding=adjustment-zof'the i gap between chains '16 and 1 7,"a'ndfor-that purpose"the upperguide bar. 31

(which overlies 'the top f :the stick '26 while .in the.

machine) and the upperxchain guide 23 are 'attached to common supporting:cross-bar48 (Figure which is carried .onadjustable-brackets 49; Thebrackets 49 are bolted to'verticalasupport -posts. 50,-and the boltopenings] blend. For thatpurpose basket's o'f tobacco are brought tothepositions indicatedin dotted squares 52 in Figure 1,along'theLside'of belt 13'opp'osite to the stem abutment board 34.The-tobacco may bein stacks of separate leaves or-tied in handsP -but inany event a personat each basket laysthe' tobacco'from his basketac'ross the belt 13 in gaps between'the tobacco laid on the belt fromthe other ba'skets,'so 'thatthetoba'cco from the various baskets isintermixed. The belt 13 carries the inter-mixed leaves'to the-chains "16and 17, whichload the leaves into the stick 26. Successive sticks '26are thus loaded with generallyuniform sampling 'from the baskets, readyfor theusual redrying operations. The rearfextension of belt13'can'be'made longenough to accommodate any desired number of basketstations, which can be-increased to the extentnecessaryto"keep'the"beltf13 loaded to'match any I predetermined 'rateof loadingof successive sticks 26;

Since the sticks'can. be machine-loaded very rapidly, the

operations as a whole'can be carried on at a sustained high speed. 7

While. a present preferred embodiment and method of practicing of itheinvention have been illustrated and described it will be recognizedthatt he invention is not limited theretobut maybe variously embodiedand practiced within the scope of the following, claims.

-1. Apparatus for loading the stem ends of tobacco leaves into achanneled stick, comprising a conveyor adapted to supporttobaccoleaveslaid transversely across the *conveyor with their-stem endsprojecting from one side thereof,,guide means forpositioning a channeledstick adjacent and parallel topartof said one side of the conveyor iwiththe-channel of thestick open toward the conveyor,grippingmembers-movable along a path between the-guide means-and-saidpartofthe; conveyor and adapted to seizeintermediate;projecting:portionstof the leaves Son the conveyor -andtopropel their stem t ends along ithe channelof a stick; positioned? by:the guide means -and means 1 connected to ,drive the conveyor andgripping membersinthe same direction. V

-2. Apparatus =-for .-loading the stem'ends of tobacco leaves into-achanneledv stick, comprising a conveyor adapted: to supporttobaccoleaves laid transversely across thecon'veyor with their ste'mendsgprojectingfrom oneside thereof, guide means for positioning achanneled stick .slidable endwise in thezguide-means adjacent andparallel topart of saidone-sideof theconveyor with the channel .of thestick ope'nztoward the conveyor,'.gripping members movable alonga pathbetween the guide-means and-said part of the conveyor and adapted toseize-intermediate projecting portions ofthe'leaveson the 'conveyorandto propel their'stem ends along-the channelof a stick positioned by the.guide-means, and means connected to drive the conveyor and grippingmembers in the same direction.

3. Apparatus for loading thestem *ends of tobacco leaves; into achanneled -stick,'comprising a conveyor .adaptedtosupport tobacco leaves:laid transversely across the conveyor and grippin'gm'erribers inthesame direction,

a switch operable to i start the motor, and switch 1 control meansresponsive to insertion 'of a stick in the guide means to'causethe-switch to start the motor.

; 4. Apparatus' for 'loadingthe stern ends of tobacco leaves 'intoaech'anneled stick, comprising a conveyor adapted to support tobaccoleaves laid transversely across the conveyorTwit-h their *stemen'dsprojecting from one side thereof, guide -means for positioning achanneled stick slidablegendw'ise in the guide "means adja'cent andparallel to part of saidoneside-of the conveyor w'ith-the channel of thestick open toward the conveyor,-gripping members movablle'along a pathbetween the guide means and said part of the conveyor-a'nd adaptedto'seize intermediate projecting p'ortions of the 'leaves onthe conveyorand to propel the'ir ste'm ends along the channel of a stick positionedby the 'guide means, a niotor connected to 'drive'the conveyor andgripping membersin the same directioma switch operable to stop themotor, and switch control means responsive to removal-of astickfror'n-the 7 guide "meansto cause' 'the switch to stop the motor.

5. Apparatus for J loading the stem ends of tobacco leaves into achanneled stick, comprising "a conveyor adapted to support tobaccoleaves laid transversely across the "conveyor with their stem endsprojecting from;- one side thereof, guide means for positioning achanneled stickslidable endwise in the guide'means adjacent and parallel:to part of said'one side of the conveyor with-the channelof the stickopen toward the "conveyor; gripping members movable along a path betweenthe guide means and said :part of the 'conv'eyorand adapted to seizeintermediate projecting portions of the leaves on the conveyor and topropel their stem tends along the channel of a stick-positioned by theguide -means,a motor conmeans to-o'perate said switch to start themotor, and a switch 'operableto stop the motor and means responsive toremoval of a stick from the meansto operate the :latter switchto stopthe-motor.

.GJApparat-us -for loading the stem ends of tobaccoleaves into achanneled stick, comprising a :eonveyor 'adapted to support tobaccoleaves laid transversely across the conveyor with their fstem endsprojecting from one side -thereof,-guide means for positioning 3 achanneled stick slidable endwise in the guide meansadjacent and theconveyor and which. at one end'is adapted to form an extension of thechannel in the stick when the stick abuts the stop member, and at-itsrother end is widened to gathersin the stem ends projecting from theconveyor, gripping members movable along a path between the guide meansand said part of the conveyor and adapted to seize intermediateprojecting portions of the leaves on the conveyor and to propel theirstem ends along the channel of a stick positioned by-the guide means,said gripping members being positioned to initially .seize the leavesadjacent said stopmember, and means connected to driveflthe conveyor andgripping members in the same direction.

7; Apparatus for loading the stem ends of tobacco.

leaves .into a channeled stick, comprising a horizontal conveyor adaptedto support tobacco leaves laid transverselyacross the conveyor withtheir stem ends projecting from one side thereof, guide means forpositioning'a channeled stick adjacent and parallel to part of said oneside of the conveyor with the channel of the stick open toward theconveyor, a pair of verticallyspaced par allel chain. guides mountedwith the gap between them disposedbetween theguide 'meansand said 'partof the conveyor, a pair of endless chains slidable along the respectivechain guides and adapted to seize'intermediate projecting portions ofthe leaves on the conveyor andto propel their stern ends along thechannel of a stick positioned by the guide means, and means connected todrive the conveyor and the portions of the chains in the chain guides atthe same speed in the same direction.

8. Apparatus. for loading the stem ends of tobacco leaves into achanneled stick, comprising ahorizontal conveyor adapted to supporttobacco leaves laidtransversely across the conveyor with their stem ends'projecting from one side thereof, guide means for positioning achanneled stick adjacent and parallel to part of said one side of theconveyor with the channel of the stick open toward the conveyor, a .pairof vertically spaced parallel chain guides mounted with the gap betweenthem disposed between the guide means and said part of the conveyor, apair of endless chainsslidable along the respective chain guides andadapted to seize intermediate projecting portions of the leaves on theconveyor and to propel their stem ends along the channel of a stickpositioned by the guide means, means connected to drive the conveyor.and the portions of the chains in the chain guides at the same speed inthe same direction, 1on gitudinal members forming part of the stickguide means and vertically adjustable to accommodate the stick'guide.

means, to sticks of different channel widths, and means attaching one ofthe chain guides to said member so that the gap between the chain guidesis adjusted automatically when the stick guide means is adjusted forsticks. having difierent channel widthsa 9. Apparatus for loading. thestem ends of tobacco leaves into a channeledstick, comprising a conveyorhaving. a horizontal surface adapted to support tobacco leaves laidtransversely thereacross with their stem ends projecting from one sidethereof, guide means for positioning a channeled stick adjacent andparallel to part and said partfof the conveyorsurface and adapted toseize intermediate projecting" portions of the -leaves on the conveyorand to propel their stem-ends along the channel of'a stick positionedbythe guide means, means connected todrive the conveyor surface andgripping members in the same-direction," and means with a verti- 'calsurface disposed in spaced parallel relation along a portion of saidone'side of the conveyor surface before it reaches said grippingmembers, said 'vertical surface being adapted to abut the stem endsof-leaves laid on the conveyorsurface and thus to align them to bereceived by the gripping members for loading into the channel of a stickpositioned by the guide means.

10. Apparatus'for loading thestem ends of tobacco leaves into achanneled stick, comprising a conveyor adapted to support tobaccoleaveslaid transversely thereacross with their 's tem ends projecting from'one side thereof, guide means for positioning'a channeled stick adjacentand parallel to part of said one side of the conveyor surface withthechannel of the; stick open toward the conveyor-surface, gripping membersmovable along a path between the guide means and said part'of theconveyorsurface and adapted to-seize intermediate projecting portions ofthe leaves on the conveyor'and to propel their stem ends along thechannel of a stick positioned by the guide means, means'connected todrive the conveyor surfaceand gripping members in the same direction,said guide means being adapted. to. allow endwise sliding movement of astick therein oppositely to said direction when the empty stickti'sbeing inserted and in said the conveyor with the-channel of the stickopen toward the conveyor, gripping "members movable alonga path betweenthe stick and the conveyor and adapted to seize intermediate projectingportions-of the. leaves on the conveyor and to propel their stem endsalong the channel of the stick, and means connected to drive theconveyor and gripping members in the same direction. f

12. Apparatus for mountingltobacco leaves for drying, comprising aconveyor adapted to suppo'rttobacco leaves laid transversely across theconveyor with their stem ends projecting from one side thereof, a stickhaving a channel extending along one side thereof, guide meanspositioning the stick adjacent and parallel to part of said one side ofthe conveyor with the channel of the stick open toward the conveyor, thestick being slidable endwise in the guide means, gripping membersmovable along a path between the stick and the conveyor and adapted toseize intermediate projecting portions of the leaves on the conveyor andto propel their stem ends along the channel of the stick, and meansconnected to drive the conveyor and gripping members in the samedirection. I

13. Apparatus for mounting tobaccojleaves for drying, comprising aconveyor adapted to support tobacco leaves laid transversely across theconveyor with their stem ends projecting from one sidethereof, astickhaving a channel extending along one side thereof, guide meanspositioning the stick adjacent and parallel to part of said o'ne side ofthe conveyor with thecha'nnel ofthe stick opentoward the conveyor, thestick being slidable endwise in the guide means, gripping membersmovable along a path between the stick and the conveyor and adapted toseize intermediate projecting portions of the leaves onthe conveyor andto propel their stem ends along the channel of the stick, and'meansconnectedto drive the conveyor and gripping members in the samedirection, said stick being of unitary extrudedmetal construction ofuniform 'U-shaped crosssection from end to end, with maximum thicknessat the base of the U and with a pair of flanges formed at the terminalends of the U, said flanges being turned toward each other and rigidlyspaced apart for insertion of tosaid upper reach of thebelt, a pair ofopposite chain guides mounted along one side of the belt parallel to andclosely spaced from each other and from said side of the belt, a pair ofendless chains slidable along the respective chain guides and spaced togrip the stems of said leaves -therebetween, means mounting said chainsfor movement along said guides including, a pair of drive sprockets forthe respective chains mounted with their axes of rotation in the samevertical plane as the axis of rotation of the belt drive roller and alsoincluding a pair of idler sprockets for the respective chains eachmounted at the same level as the drive sprockets for the respectivechains and between the drive roller and idler roller of the belt, thesaid idler sprocket for the lower chain being'spaced nearer the beltidler roller than the said idler sprocket of the upper chain, a motorand means connecting the motor to drive the belt drive roller and chaindrive sprockets at speeds which equalize the rate of travel of the beltand chains, and a guide channel extending adjacent and parallel to thesaid chain guides and disposed with its channel opening along its lengthtoward said side of the belt and toward the gap between the chains inthe chain guides, said guide channel being open at one end adjacent saiddrive roller and drive sprockets to receive a channeled sticktherebetween thrust endwise into the guide channel with the channel inthe stick facing the gap between the chains, whereby the stems carriedbetween the chains are propelled along the channel of the stick.

15. Apparatus for inter-mixing tobacco leaves in different containerspreliminary to drying, comprising a conveyor with an elongatedhorizontal traveling supporting surface suitable for conveying tobaccoleaves laid therethe beginning of such travel being accessible forsimultaneously placing tobacco leaves on the surface at successiveplaces along said initial length, and loading means positioned along oneside of a subsequent length of the supporting surface as it travels,said loading means comprising means for positioning a channeled stick toreceive in its channel the stems of the leaves on the travellingsurface, and means for seizing the stems and forcing them into thechannel of such stick.

16. Apparatus for mounting tobacco leaves for drying, comprising aconveyor adapted to support tobacco leaves laid transversely across theconveyor with their stem ends projecting from one side thereof, a stickhaving a channel extending along one side thereof, guide meanspositioning V the stick adjacent and parallel to part of said one sideof the conveyor with the channel of the stick open toward the conveyor,the stick being slidable endwise in the guide means, gripping membersmovable along a path between the stick and the conveyorand adapted toseize intermediate projecting portions of the leaves on the conveyor andto propel their stem ends along the channel of the stick,

means connected to drive the conveyor and gripping members in the samedirection, and a member mounted at one end of the guide means andabutting one end of the stick,

the abutting end of said member having the same crosssection as thestick and being mounted to form a continuation of the stick, and saidstick being of unitary extruded metal construction of uniform U-shapedcross-section from end to end, with maximum thickness at the base of theU and with a pair of flanges formed at the terminal ends of the U, saidflanges being turned toward each other and rigidly spaced apart forinsertion of tobacco leaf 7 stems across the entire gap therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Booneet a1. -4... Sept. 21, 1948

